1001 Nights
by apologetically-on-hiatus
Summary: When Mo read the gold out of Tales From A Thousand and One Nights, Meggie was sent in. After being taken prisoner by a group of thieves, she meets Farid and they embark on a perilous journey. Can Farid keep Meggie safe until Mo can read her out?
1. Chapter 1

**Some of you know that 11alliswan11 had her story up for adoption and I was lucky enough to adopt it. So review after you're done reading and tell me what you think about it. :D**

Meggie ran through the unknown desert in a desperate attempt to escape the men chasing her. Mo had read her into the book _Tales From_ _A Thousand Nights _when he had been forced to read for Capricorn. Unfortunately for her, she had just interrupted a group of robbers that found a cavern full of treasure. Thinking she had been the one who made it go away, they chased after her.

_Of all the books to be read into, it had to be this one._ Meggie thought to herself bitterly as she continued to run.

Just above the dune she had ran onto there was a small rock. Meggie only looked back over her shoulder for just a brief second, but it was long enough for her to not notice the rock in her path. She cried out as she tripped over the rock, landing face first in the sand. As she stood up, a man grabbed her arm and pulled her closer to him. He was obviously the leader by the way he asserted himself

"Where do you think you're going, princess?" He sneered. "It isn't safe out here in the desert; especially to someone who has stolen our gold. I'll just take you back to our camp and have you punished in my tent."

Meggie didn't like the sound of his voice one bit, nor the fact that she knew where he was going with this. She pulled her arm away and spat at him.

"I didn't take any of your gold." She snapped. "Besides, I wouldn't dare touch something a pig got his grubby hands on."

"That was the wrong reply." He snickered and threw her over his shoulder.

The other men in his group of thieves followed him with whoops and hollers as Meggie pounded her fists into his back. Meggie never stopped, hoping he would let her go, but it hardly affected him. She eventually gave up when she realized she needed to save her energy.

_Maybe I can get away when we reach the camp,_ She thought.

Reality slowly sank in and she realized what was going to be done to her. She was going to be violated and taken advantage of. There was no one to protect her here, which meant nothing would stop the men from hurting her. Silent tears started to flow and more came with each step the man took. However her crying did not stay silent for long because soon the thieves' camp came into view. It was nothing more than a few tents and a fire at the edge of a town, but to Meggie it was the most threatening place ever. A sob escape her throat and the man threw her onto the ground roughly.

"Girl, you better stop crying. I'm not going to hurt you, but I'm going to reconsider it if you don't shut up." The man barked and Meggie put her hand over her mouth. He grabbed her other arm and continued to lead her along.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Most of the thieves had gone along with their leader, but a few had stayed behind. A boy named Farid was part of that few. He sat by the fire, looking at it longingly. Farid wished he could touch the flames without burning himself, but he knew it was only a silly dream. The boy heard noise in the distance and turned his gaze out to the horizon.

_They must be returning_, he thought.

Farid walked to the edge of their camp to wait for Dariad, who was their leader, and the others. Farid was the youngest of the thieves so it was his job to "run the errands" as Dariad put it, but in reality he was a servant. He had joined this group to learn how to be a real thief, but so far he only knew how to steal some food once in a while.

The noise gradually grew louder and the shapes of the men went from a blob on the horizon to a detailed picture of each man. All the thieves spread out around the campfire as Dariad stopped in front of Farid. Farid withheld a gasp as he realized Dariad was tugging along a girl behind him.

"I don't know what kind of punishment this gold stealer should go through, so she'll be staying with you until I can figure it out." Dariad instructed and threw the girl into Farid's arms.

"Where's the gold she stole?" Farid asked.

"We had just found the cave when all the treasure vanished and she was there in its place. I _know _she has something to do with this." Dariad replied.

Farid was about to add something else, but Dariad had pulled Farid and the girl into Farid's tent. He tied the girl up to one of the tent pole's as Farid watched with shock clearly visible on his face.

"Do what you want with the girl; I'm sure she'd give you a good time." Dariad said as he left. "You've earned it for all errands you've ran for us."

"What's your name?" Farid asked once Dariad was out of hearing distance.

He approached the girl, which caused her to gasp and try to break free from her bonds. Farid knew that she probably thought he would violate her due to what Dariad had said.

"I'm not going to take advantage of you." He whispered. "You can trust me."

When the girl didn't reply, he sighed and turned away from her.

"My name is Meggie." The girl replied softly.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Mo stopped reading as gold cascaded out of the book. As Capricorn and his men gathered up the gold, Mo looked down to see what Meggie's reaction was. His heart began to beat rapidly when he realized that Meggie was not there.

"Meggie?" He called out, but there was no response.

"Meggie, where are you?!" He cried, more urgent than before.

Suddenly, realization dawned on him and he looked down at the book in his hands. He had read his own daughter into a book, just as he had with his wife. He collapsed to floor, clutching the book to his chest.

"What have I done?" He whispered.

This being said, Mo let the tears flow down his face. They splattered like little rain drops on the stone floor of Capricorn's church as the people around him cheered. Elinor bent down next to him and put her arm around him once she also realized what had happened.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Well you can call me Farid, Meggie." The boy said.

With the reassurance that Farid was not going to hurt her, Meggie relaxed and Farid plopped down beside her. She turned to him and took in his features. He was very tan and had deep brown eyes that she could get lost in. He looked to be about fifteen and he was only wearing shorts and a brightly colored vest. A turban was on his hair and pieces of black hair were sticking out from underneath it.

"Will you run away if I untie you?" Farid asked, breaking through her thoughts.

"…No." She replied after careful thinking.

"Why!?" He gasped.

"Because I have no where else to go. I don't belong here," She sighed.

"If you don't belong here, where do you belong?" He asked, reaching behind Meggie in order to release her.

"In a different world." She replied. Farid had now completely undone the knots and Meggie rubbed her wrist, trying to get the circulation flowing again. Farid sat down next to her and leaned back against the pole.

"What's different about it?" He asked. The curiosity was clear in his tone.

"A lot of things, Farid." She said. "Parts of my world look like this while other parts have sweeping green hills and forests. Some parts even have lakes that stretch out for miles."

Meggie pictured Elinor's house and let out a sigh It was right beside a lake and it only made her feel worse about this whole situation.

_Oh Mo,_ She thought. _Please find a way to bring me back home_.

She didn't want to talk about home anymore. It made her wish for it more than when she did while thinking about it. Meggie had been in this world no more than a few hours and she was already homesick.

"So..." Meggie said trying to change the topic. Farid looked at her expectantly, but she couldn't think of new topic. "Never mind, I lost it."

"You look weary; do you need to sleep?" Farid suggested. Meggie hadn't realized up until then, but she was indeed very tired.

"Actually, I am." She murmured.

"Go ahead then," Farid gestured to his bed, which was more like a pile of blankets to Meggie, but she was too tired to object.

"Thank you." Meggie whispered and laid on her side, resting her head on Farid's lap. The boy blushed slightly, but he let her head stay there once he realized she had fallen asleep.

_She is rather pretty_, He thought.

Farid studied her features and an urge to touch her skin overcame him. He reached our to caress her cheek, but he pulled his hand back immediately.

_She can't be older than twelve_, He thought to himself. _But that means she's old enough to marry._

This time Farid did not resist; he gently stroked Meggie's cheek with his thumb. Her talk of another world interested him as well. He wondered how the grass would feel under his toes, how cool it would be under the trees in the forest, and how refreshing it would be to swim in a lake for miles and miles. Farid smiled as he imagined the paradise and he eventually dozed off, one arm around Meggie's waist and his free hand resting on her cheek.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The leader of the thieves watched the boy as he interacted with the girl. He was curious as to what Farid would do. He didn't actually think that Farid would take advantage of the girl, but he wanted to know all the same and his thoughts were confirmed as Farid told the girl that he wouldn't hurt her.

_Meggie, _Dariad thought_. Such a peculiar name… _

"You look weary; do you need to sleep?" He heard Farid say.

Dariad watched as Meggie agreed then laid down, her head resting on the boy's lap. Once she was asleep he watched Farid examine her carefully as if she was as fragile as glass.

_What is that look in his eyes? _Dariad thought._ Is it caring? No, it can't be caring. Caring isn't in the nature of thieves._

Dariad watched the boy reach out and touch the girl's cheek_. _

_Yes, it is caring_. He thought_. That _is_ sort of sweet. It's too bad that I'll have to discipline the girl tomorrow. _

Dariad smiled at the thought of the pain he would deliver. His last thought before sleep overcame him was whether to use the whip or the knife.


	2. Chapter 2

Meggie awoke from her slumber in a very different position than she had started in. She was half lying on top of Farid, her head on his chest and his arm around her waist. It wasn't that Meggie was uncomfortable, which she was, but it was that all her muscles were stiff and starting to ache. She needed to stretch. Meggie slowly tried to reach around in order to not wake up Farid, but as she touched his hand his eyes slowly opened. Farid blushed bright red when he looked at his arm, which was still wrapped around her torso.

"Good morning," Meggie said shyly. Farid nodded at her and used the hand that was once around her to rub the back of his neck nervously. Meggie did not like the silence.

_It's too early for awkward situations_. She thought.

"Um..." Meggie tried to finish the statement but just as last night she came up blank. She watched Farid as he stood up and rocked back and fourth on his heels.

"Do you want to go on a walk?" Farid asked her sheepishly.

"A walk sounds great right now," Meggie responded, thinking of her sore muscles. Farid held the tent flap up for her and took her hand as she stepped out. That's when her thoughts took over in her mind.

_I have to get out of this story, but how? Maybe I could somehow read myself out, but I don't even know if have the power to do that. It would be so cool if I did have the power, though. Someone else will have to read me out. Mo will. Won't he? I mean, he never stopped trying with my mom. It didn't work though. Maybe it'll work for me. _These were thoughts that consumed Meggie's mind as they walked through the camp.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Meggie looked liked she was contemplating something and Farid noted how she slowly chewed on her lip as she thought. Farid took to Meggie's example as he thought about last night. It still truck him a little odd that Dariad hadn't come up with a punishment for the girl yet.

_Something isn't right,_ He thought.

Farid always knew when something was wrong; it was an instinct he had obtained throughout all of the years he'd served the thieves. He looked around in search for anything that stuck out or even someone that was up this early. Farid quickly noticed that Dariad was coming around the corner, muttering to himself. Farid grabbed Meggie's wrist and pulled her in between two tents, noticing how close this put them. Farid put a finger to his lips telling Meggie to be quiet. She nodded her head in response. Soon after they could hear Dariad's impatient muttering.

"Where are those two filthy little children?" Dariad growled. "I was so looking forward to that girl's punishment."

He fingered the whip attached to his belt as he cursed to himself once again. Farid looked at Meggie and saw the fear in her eyes as her hand covered her mouth. Tears were again falling down Meggie's face as Farid protectively wrapped his arms around her as Dariad passed by.

_The word punishment and carrying a whip can only mean bad things for me, _She thought.

She looked up at Farid, who reached out to wipe the tears. He pulled his hand back and looked away

"We have to get away from here." He spoke up. Meggie nodded, but her thoughts were telling her_, I have nowhere to go to._

"I'm sorry." He added, not looking at Meggie.

"It isn't your fault." Meggie whispered. "Don't blame yourself for this."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Elinor couldn't sleep; all she could do was watch as Mo grieved. It pained her to see Mo suffering. She could only imagine what he was going through after losing two people who meant the world to him. Plus Elinor actually missed the girl and her sucking up. Meggie had made her feel more alive and less like she was an old book-collecting stump. Elinor suddenly heard a noise outside the cell she and Mo were being held in. She jumped to her feet as Dustfinger entered the cell, making sure no one had seen him.

_How charming; lying scar-face has come to save us. _She thought bitterly.

Elinor stepped back from the door and watched as Dustfinger entered. He knelt in front of Mo, who looked up at the fire-dancer.

"Listen to me he." He said to Mo. "Out there somewhere might be a way for you to get your daughter back, but it sure as hell isn't here."

"What do you have in mind?" Mo asked, speaking for the first time since the incident.

"First of all, we need to get out of here before we do anything." Dustfinger replied. "It's not exactly best place to tell you my plans."

"I hate to say this, but I agree with Dustfinger." Elinor sighed.

"Then it's settled." Dustfinger said with a triumphant grin. "There's a town not too far from here and we'll be able to converse there."

"Well let's go before anyone else finds out what's going on." Mo sighed and the three slipped out of the cell.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Meggie looked up to find Farid studying her with what looked like fascination. She gazed back at him suddenly wishing she could know what he was thinking.

"What are you thinking about?" She blurted out, not stopping to think before asking her question. Farid chuckled a bit.

"What?" Meggie asked a little startled; this wasn't really an appropriate time to be laughing.

"Nothing," He said. "I was just about to ask you the same thing."

"Oh…" Meggie muttered. She looked away, embarrassed by her own words.

"Okay." Farid began. "We're going to go into town and get you some clothes Then we'll be able to-"

"Why do I need new clothes?" Meggie interrupted.

"No offense, but you're not exactly going to fit in. We need to get you some new clothes," Farid said.

"Oh," Meggie said. "Alright."

_Stupid, Meggie, stupid! _Meggie thought to herself.

"Just follow me." He whispered.

Farid motioned for Meggie to stay there and he peered out of the tents to make sure it was clear. Once he was sure everything was okay, he motioned for Meggie to follow him and together they quickly made their way to the edge of camp.

_This is too easy_, He thought.

Farid pulled Meggie into an empty tent nearby and looked out the flap. He watched as Dariad rounded the corner, still mumbling to himself. Once Dariad was out of sight, Farid pulled Meggie out of the tent and toward town. Beside him Farid heard Meggie let out a sigh of relief as they entered town.

"Come on," He said as he pulled some clothes off a line. As he stole the clothes he hoped that they would fit Meggie, that way they wouldn't have to try and get other clothes.

Farid lead Meggie through the maze that was the town. Farid moved at a fairly quick pace until he reached his destination. It was a house in the middle of town. He knew it was vacant because the robbers had sent him to scout for easy targets and he'd found out that they'd be leaving for a little bit. Farid opened the door and lead Meggie inside, closing it behind them quickly

"Why are we here?" She asked.

"The owners of the house went away for a while to visit a few of their friends, so we should be okay here for a couple more days." He answered. He looked over and found Meggie studying him.

"You might want to change." He added.

"Sure." Meggie mumbled, breaking out of her trance. Farid handed her the clothes he took then turned around in respect for her privacy. He heard the quiet rustling of clothes and then felt a tap on his shoulder.

"You can look now." Farid turned to find Meggie in a black dancer's outfit which consisted of puffy pants, shirt with sleeves that only covered most of her stomach and a lace piece that was put over her hair and covered her face from nose down.

_Wow, _He thought. _She looks really pretty. _

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Mo, Elinor, and Dustfinger had all escaped Capricorn's fortress. However, it was only because Dustfinger had fed the dogs cheese. Even Elinor had to admit that he was clever for doing so. They were at a small village on the coast discussing what to do.

"I think we should make Meggie our first priority," Elinor said.

"No, we should make Capricorn our first priority." Dustfinger argued. Mo thought for a bit, but realized that if he ever got Meggie back, he would want her to be safe.

"I agree with Dustfinger." Mo said.

"What?!" Elinor hissed.

"If I…if I get Meggie back, I want her to be in a safe world." Mo explained. Dustfinger looked grateful while Elinor looked unconvinced, but then she changed.

"Well then I guess we should talk to the author of the book," Elinor said.

"Why can't we just kill Capricorn on our own?" Dustfinger snapped.

"Would you rather have Capricorn send Basta after you?" Elinor remarked. "I don't know about you, but I don't want that knife of his anywhere near me from now on."

"Then what do you plan we do?" Dustfinger growled.

"I say we go visit the author of the book. Maybe he has an extra copy of the book and we could destroy Capricorn and his men." Elinor replied.

"Then once we finish them off, we could try and read Meggie back." Mo added.

"Well if you're both so keen on going to see the author, who is he and where does he live?" Dustfinger questioned.

"His name is Fenoglio and he only lives a few hours from here." Elinor replied matter-of-factly.

"I take it where going to go visit this Fenoglio then." Dustfinger muttered.

"I think that's the best way to deal with this right now." Mo sighed.

_Maybe Fenoglio will have some way of destroying Capricorn,_ thought Mo. For the first time since he read Meggie away, he felt hopeful.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"So what do you think?" Meggie asked as she stood in front of Farid.

"You look amazing," He said quietly, his cheeks growing red.

"Really? I think it's a little too tight, but it'll have to do for now." She sighed.

Farid sat down on a chair and Meggie looked around for something to sit on, but there was only a bed made out of blankets a few feet away. In the end, she sat on Farid's lap awkwardly and he put his arms around her to keep her from falling onto the floor. When her stomach began to grumble, Farid started to search the house for food.

"Farid, I don't think they would leave any food." She sighed, but Farid found an apple in the tiny kitchen and tossed it to her.

"I'll go steal some food, but this should fill you up until I get back." He explained.

"You're going to steal?" She gasped. "But what if you get caught?"

"I've been hanging around those dirty thieves since I could remember and I've picked up a few things from them." He chuckled. "I won't get caught."

"Well promise me that you'll try to be careful." She said, trying to hide the worry in her voice.

"I promise." He whispered and gently pushed a strand of hair behind her ear. As he left the small house, Meggie felt a pinch of fear.

_What if the thieves are in town looking for us? I don't want Farid to get hurt because of me, _She thought.

All Meggie could do at the moment, much to her displeasure, was wait for Farid to return with food and more importantly, in one piece.


	3. Chapter 3

It had been a good hour before Farid had entered the house again. He had a triumphant grin on his face and a basket full of breads and cheeses in his arms. He saw Meggie sleeping on the pile of blankets and he bent down beside her.

"Meggie, look what I got!" Farid whispered as he shook her gently.

"Hm?" Meggie muttered as her eyes fluttered open. She saw the basket in his arms and her eyes went wide.

"Here, have some." He said and held out a loaf of bread.

"How did you get all of this?" She gasped as she took the loaf.

"I stole it, of course." He boasted. "It wasn't that hard, actually."

"You didn't come across any trouble did you?" She questioned.

"No, why would you think that?" He scoffed and hid his left hand behind his back.

"Why did you hide your hand?" She asked.

"No reason in particular…" He muttered. She reached behind his back and grabbed his hand gently. She almost let out a cry when she saw the cut on the palm of his hand.

"Someone cut you." She mumbled, fear clearly visible in her eyes.

"It was Dariad." He sighed. "He saw me stealing the food and he cornered me. He asked me where you were and when I didn't tell him, he cut me."

"This is all my fault." She murmured.

"Don't blame yourself. It was just bad timing on my part," He said softly.

"Then he must know we're hiding in town if he was in the marketplace. What if he finds us?" She asked worriedly.

"I promise I won't let him hurt you if that's what you're worried about." He reassured her. "Now eat before the rats come and take away the food."

"If I wasn't so hungry, I'd interrogate you a little bit more." She muttered and took a bite out of the bread. Farid pulled the block of cheese out and he split it into two pieces, giving her the slightly bigger piece. He could last a while on a small portion of food, but he knew that Meggie needed all she could get.

"So how did you get here? Into this world, I mean." He asked after a few moments of silence. "Your world sounds too perfect to be anywhere close to here."

"You'd think I was crazy if I told you." She sighed.

"I promise I won't." He said.

"Well it's a very long story," She added.

"We've got all the time in the world," He chuckled. After taking a deep breath, she began to tell him of Mo, _Inkheart_, and so on.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"So is this where he lives?" Dustfinger asked as the trio stumbled up the steps of a small cottage.

"Yes it is, so please use any manners that you've been taught, although you might not have any." Elinor muttered.

"I know how to say please and thank you if that's what you're implying." Dustfinger snapped.

"Stop it, both of you. Fenoglio will surely kick us out if you continue to bicker like this." Mo scolded.

The two fell silent, but neither stopped glaring at each other. Mo knocked on the door three times and he heard the laughter of a child on the other side.

"Who is it?" A childlike voice asked.

"Mo Folchart; I'm here to talk to Fenoglio about one of his books." Mo replied.

"Grandpa, someone's here to see you!" The voice called.

After a moment of waiting, a man opened the door with a small boy and girl hiding behind him with curious looks on their faces.

"How may I help you?" Fenoglio asked.

"We'd like to speak to you about a book of yours." Elinor replied.

"Which book?" Fenoglio questioned.

"Inkheart, but they've probably been stolen by Capricorn by now." Dustfinger scoffed.

"What is your name?" Fenoglio asked Dustfinger.

"Dustfinger, the fire-dancer." Mo replied for him.

"More like the scar-face. " Elinor muttered.

"It's such an honor to meet one of my characters!" Fenoglio said and shook Dustfinger's hand, but instantly pulled away. Dustfinger had been playing with fire a little while ago, but it appeared that his hands still seemed to be on fire.

"The honor is all mine." Dustfinger said flatly.

"Please, do come in." Fenoglio insisted and the three entered the house, Dustfinger more reluctantly than Mo and Elinor. "So, what would you like to know?"

"We need to know how to defeat Capricorn." Mo replied.

"Oh...well I had him live in my book, so I have to give that a little thought." Fenoglio muttered and sat down on a chair. The children that had currently hid behind him were now running around the house.

"Mo has read his daughter into a book and he believes that we need to get rid of Capricorn before we try and read her out." Elinor added.

"How did he do that?" Fenoglio gasped.

"I have a special talent that allows me to read out of books, but I have read my daughter into a book." Mo sighed.

"Just like he did with his wife." Dustfinger snorted.

"I miss the little girl as much as he does, so what will it take for you to help us make it safe for her to return to our world?" Elinor asked.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Once Meggie had finished her story, Farid just stared at her with curiosity visible in his eyes.

"So you're dad read you into a book, just like he did with your mom." He clarified. "And this world is actually in a book."

"Pretty much." She sighed. "Since we're on the subject, I want to ask you something that's been on my mind for a little while."

"Ask away." He said.

"What happened to your parents?" She asked.

"When I was little, my dad would take me with him wherever he went. He was a trader, so I got used to it." He began. "Since my mom had died giving birth to me, I never knew her so it was only me and my dad. Anyways, we were crossing the dessert when Dariad and the thieves attacked us. My dad was killed and they were about to finish me off, but Dariad offered me to join their group. Since I had nowhere else to go, I agreed."

"That must have been traumatizing for you." She murmured.

"It was, but I eventually got used to the lies and the stealing." He shrugged.

"Now that we've discussed our lives, what do we do now?" She asked.

"There's a festival on the other side of town if you want to go." He suggested. "It should be safe from Dariad and the rest of the thieves. They wouldn't dare go there."

"Why not?" She questioned.

"That's where all of the officials patrol, and the thieves are the most wanted people in the kingdom." He replied.

"Doesn't that make you wanted along with them?" She pointed out.

"Since they usually leave me behind during their big robberies, I'm only known for robbing for such little things like food." He explained. "That's not much of a crime around here."

"I take it people steal a lot around these parts." She guessed.

"You got it." He smirked.

"Well in that case, let's go to the festival." She said.

"You'll fit right in, Meggie, trust me." He reassured her as they slipped out of the house.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Unknown to the two, Dariad had been watching the house from across the street in an alley way. He had followed Farid and seen when the boy had entered. Before the door closed, Dariad could see Meggie sleeping peacefully on a pile of blankets.

_So that's were the little brats are hiding. _Dariad thought bitterly.

He had their capture all planned out. His wingman Felix and the other thieves would corner the two whenever they went out and that would give Dariad enough time to catch them. They'd return back to the camp and their punishment would be dealt with there.

"Boss, are you ready?" Felix asked.

"Just get into your positions." Dariad hissed.

"You heard him; get to your spots!" Felix snapped at the other thieves.

After the thieves had gone off to their positions, Felix eventually followed after them to make sure they were in the right place. Dariad simply stood hiding the alley, waiting for the two to leave the house. He knew he couldn't catch the the two by himself so he had Felix positioned not too far away, the other thieves scattered around in the marketplace, where the festival was taking place.

The door to the house opened up and Farid was the first to step out. He looked around cautiously and Dariad slipped deeper into the alley, but not enough to block his view. Farid didn't spot Dariad and he ushered Meggie out. He protectively put his arm around her shoulder and they walked down the street, the girl laughing at a joke Farid made.

_That look on his eyes...it's more than just caring. It might just be love. _Dariad thought, the taste in his mouth turning sour. He absolutely detested love, or anything having to do with it for that matter.

_Let's see how far he'll go to protect his precious Meggie. _He thought to himself and followed after them from a safe distance.


	4. Chapter 4

When Farid and Meggie reached the marketplace, the festival was already well into the event. To Farid this was any normal festival, but to Meggie it was like a magical scene out of a book that she could only imagine. She saw the stands and the sellers trying to get a passerby to purchase their items. At the center of the festivities, brightly colored performers juggled some even blowing fire. Meggie looked up at Farid and noticed the mesmerized look in his eyes as he stared at the fire. He pulled her into the crowd and they melted right into the scene.

"You must be really interested in fire breathing." Meggie laughed.

"Yeah, it's always interested me. One day I want to be able to get up close to it." Farid sighed.

"There's actually someone where I come from that could teach you," She admitted. "His name's Dustfinger; they call him the best fire-dancer where he comes from."

"What's a fire-dancer exactly?" He asked.

"Well he can speak to fire. Oh, and he's even able to control it!" She replied happily. "Maybe I could introduce you to him sometime."

"Aw, thanks Meggie! I'd just love that!" He said excitedly, taking her hands in his. She smiled and turned back to the performers. One of them blew fire close to them and Meggie instinctively backed into Farid's arm. They looked at each other, looked away after a few seconds, and then blushed furiously. Farid led Meggie out from the crowd and they walked beside the carts, looking at the items on them carefully.

"Hey, boy." One of the sellers called to Farid. "Why not buy a necklace for your pretty wife?"

"Oh, we're not-" Farid tried to explain, but the seller had already approached them and he held out a necklace.

"Wow, this is so beautiful." Meggie gasped as she held the necklace in her hands. It had a silver chain and had a pendant attached it. The pendant was a bright red ruby that glowed in the sunlight.

"For you, it's only 6 gold coins." The seller boasted, as if they were getting a deal.

"Well it seems very nice, but-" Meggie sighed.

"We'll take it." Farid cut in and plopped six gold coins into the man's hand.

"Pleasure doing business with you." The man said and walked back to his cart.

"Where did you get the money?" Meggie asked suspiciously.

"When we were standing in the crowd, I pocketed a man's coins." Farid explained casually. "Now turn around so I can put this on you."

She rolled her eyes, but she did as he said and the necklace was around her neck in the blink of an eye. Farid studied her and gave her an approving smile.

"How does it look?" She asked, holding the pendant in her hands.

"Lovely, just like you." He replied. He realized what he said and looked away with embarrassment. When he turned his head, he spotted a man watching them about ten feet away. Farid gasped when he realized it was one of the thieves.

"Meggie, we need to get out of here." He whispered.

"Why? Are the officials on your trail?" She teased.

"No, Dariad and the thieves are." He muttered. He put his arm around her shoulder and glanced back at the thief, but he was already gone.

"There's another one." Meggie gasped, recognizing one of the thieves in the crowd they had previously been in.

"They knew we were coming." Farid groaned.

"What do we do?" She asked.

"I need to get you out of here; they can't get their hands on you." He said and pulled her into the crowd. The chatting and laughter all around them silenced the loud beating of Meggie's heart as more and more thieves surfaced around them. Meggie felt completely trapped as Farid tried to find a way out, but a thief was nearly everywhere they looked.

"I'm so sorry Meggie." He whispered. "I should have never brought you here."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Dariad had a frown on his face as he watched Farid and Meggie stroll around the festival as if nothing was wrong. By what he saw, he could tell that Farid had grown feelings for the girl and the girl had somewhat grown feelings for him. Yet neither of them had the guts to admit it. Then sour taste came back to his mouth when he saw Farid buy the necklace for Meggie. Both of their faces lit up for that brief moment. Farid seemed giddy that he was able to touch the bare skin of Meggie's neck as he put the necklace around her neck.

_At least he bought the necklace with stolen money. _Dariad thought bitterly.

A triumphant grin came to his lips when he saw that they had seen the thieves closing in on them. It amused him that Farid had tried to get Meggie out of the area, but he only drew them closer to their capture. He saw Felix waiting in an alleyway for the thieves to herd the two into it. Then Dariad would join Felix and they would be able to bring the two back with them to the camp.

_Maybe I could sell the girl for a hefty price. The boy would be a good slave as well. _Dariad thoughts as he made his way toward the alley.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Farid took off in a sprint, pulling Meggie along as he did. When they reached an alleyway, he stopped as Felix appeared out of the shadows. Meggie gasped and Farid held her tightly in his arms. They turned around to run, but another thief was behind them. Meggie screamed and Farid pulled out a dagger. He swung it at the thief, who now had a long gash going down his arm. He pulled Meggie away from the scene and they ran around the festival trying to find an escape route. Meggie felt her lungs burning in need of oxygen, but Farid kept pulling her along.

"We can't let them get us!" Farid panted as they continued to run. Suddenly, Dariad appeared from another alleyway, a dagger in his hands. Farid came to halt and he pushed Meggie behind him protectively. He held out his dagger and pointed it at Dariad.

"Let us leave." Farid snarled.

"Not a chance, boy." Dariad sneered. "

Meggie clutched Farid's free arm as he pulled her beside him. Farid and Dariad glared at each other until an official noticed the daggers and began to shout at the other officials around them. Three of the officials took care of Dariad while another approached Farid carefully.

"Well Prince Farid, we meet again." One of the officials sneered as he approached Farid and Meggie. Meggie stared up at Farid with confusion, but he was looking at the official with annoyance.

"Leave me alone, Shivesh." Farid groaned.

"Your father has been looking for you, and here you are." Shivesh said with a triumphant grin. "Come, we must go to the palace. The king will be pleased to see you."

"You and I both know you only care about me because you want to be on my father's good side." Farid pointed out as Shivesh ushered the two out of the festival area.

"Farid, tell me what's going on." Meggie demanded.

"I can't right now, but once we're in private I will." Farid whispered into her ear as more officials hovered around them. Meggie looked uneasily around at the people, especially at Farid. He had lied to her. He said his father had been a trader, but if that was true then why had Shivesh said that his father was the king?

_I know Farid lied to me, but how much of his story did he lie about? _Meggie thought suspiciously.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Shivesh led them into the palace and Meggie looked around in amazement. It was so beautiful and magnificent that she thought it was read right out of a fairy tale. There was a door at the end of a long hallway and it was open, revealing a room with a throne at the end. As the trio entered, Meggie saw an elderly man sitting on the throne, another boy

"Farid, my son, it's so good to see you." The man said.

"Good to see you too, dad." Farid said with a weak smile.

"He seems to be in good condition." The boy muttered. "Who is that girl?"

"No one you need to know." Farid snapped.

"Well since she's certainly not of our race, then she's obviously an outsider." Gregory smirked. "And all outsiders must be sent away."

"For your information, she's a princess from a foreign land. I helped her escape from the thieves that held her captive." Farid said matter-of-factly.

"Really? Well you can both stay with us for as long as you need. Shivesh, take them to the guest room."

Shivesh ushered them down another hallway. Once they were out of the throne room, Meggie distanced herself from Farid.

"Here is your room. Someone will come and bring you dinner." Shivesh said and opened the door to a magnificent room. Farid and Meggie stepped in and the door closed behind them. Meggie plopped herself onto the bed and Farid stood before her uneasily.

"So, how much of your stories have been lies?" Meggie asked.

"I'm sorry I lied, but you have to understand-" Farid sighed.

"No, _you_ understand! I told you nothing but the truth, and then you go and lie to me!" She snapped.

"Let me at least explain myself before you start yelling at me!" He snapped back, causing Meggie to go silent. "I only lied to you because I didn't like my past. Besides, you'd think I was crazy if I told you I gave up the life of luxury just to be a thief!"

"I wouldn't think that; I would just appreciate that you told me the truth." She said softly, placing her hand on the necklace. Farid sighed and sat down beside her, pulling her into his arms. He rested his chin on top of her head and she rested her head on his chest.

"I'm sorry, but I want you to think the best of me." He sighed.

"I've thought the best of you since you saved my life. You've done more for me than anyone else would." She murmured.

After a few moments of comfortable silence, Farid said. "So…what do we do about the whole princess thing?"

"I think I'll actually enjoy being treated like royalty. You can call me Princess Meggie from now on, by the way." She laughed.

"You better watch yourself. My dad might just marry you off to some foreign prince, Princess Meggie." He teased.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

After much deliberation, Fenoglio had come up with an idea. At the moment, he was writing up a page for Mo to read aloud, which left the three to sit and wait.

"Do you think Meggie is okay?" Elinor asked.

"I'm sure someone has married her by now." Dustfinger said, getting a glare from Mo and Elinor. "Don't look at me like that. Girls get married at her age where I come from and it probably goes the same for the people in the book you read her in."

"I'm afraid he's right. Girls in Arabia do get married at quite an early age. For all we know, she could be preparing to be married to some prince." Elinor sighed.

"If that's the case, we can finish off Capricorn and rescue Meggie as soon as Fenoglio is finished." Mo clarified.

"You sound like you actually believe that this writing trick is going to work." Dustfinger snickered.

"Fenoglio's the writer of the book, so anything he writes might just come true when Mo reads it." Elinor pointed out.

"I just hope that Meggie is a very patient girl considering how long he's taking." Dustfinger mumbled and gestured over to Fenoglio, who kept rewriting on the page.


	5. Chapter 5

Meggie had fallen asleep in Farid's arms as they sat on the edge of the bed together. She woke up cuddled up against him as he snored softly. She rubbed her eyes and yawned, causing Farid to turn slightly and topple over the bed. Meggie broke away before he fell, so she sat at the edge with a smile on her face as Farid laid on the floor in confusion. Gregory walked in carrying a tray full of food. He set it down on the bed and looked at Farid smugly.

"Glad to see you taking to your true place, brother." Gregory smirked and left the room.

"What's his problem?" Meggie asked as she began to eat.

"We've fought over the throne for a while, but I eventually ran off and he was next in line. Now that I'm back, he's going to be more of a jerk." Farid explained.

"I can't wait to see how that turns out," She snorted.

"He might get a little bit crabbier since you'll be staying with us for a while." He added. "He'll be envious when he sees how much time we spend together."

"You're the only friend I have here, so there really isn't anyone else I can hang out with." She pointed out.

"Do you think Gregory knows that? He still thinks you're a princess from a far away land that I happened to rescue from the clutches of thieves." He smirked.

"Speaking of the rescue, we need to get our story straight if your dad asks about it." She sighed.

"If he does, tell him that you were captured by the thieves on a journey to meet a prince a few cities away. Then I arrived and rescued you right before Dariad got his hands on you. I battled him in a dual to the death and we were able to run away, but he survived the attack and cornered us in the festival. Then you can tell him about the officials stumbling upon us and he'll know what happens after that." He finished and was sitting beside her on the bed.

"Do you think he'll believe it?" She asked.

"I'm his favorite son; of course he'll believe it." He scoffed.

"Don't get too cocky, Farid. You might jinx us," She warned. A breeze slipped in through the window and Farid went to shut it. Meggie felt breathing on her neck and she screamed out of fear.

"Meggie, are you okay?" He said worriedly.

"I-I felt someone breathing on my neck." She gasped.

"Ghosts." He muttered and looked around uneasily.

"Ghosts don't exist, especially where I come from." She insisted.

"Well in this world, they exist just like we do." He murmured. "Be sure not to anger them."

Something grabbed Meggie's arm and she snuggled closer to Farid. Farid was just as scared of the ghosts as Meggie was, but he couldn't let her find that out. Her hair blew in a breeze that circled around them and she felt her breath being lifted out of her. Farid pulled her to the window and he pried it open. The wind blew out the window, almost taking the two with it.

"Hurry, close the window!" She hissed. He slammed it shut and she stood beside him, waiting for something to happen. When it didn't, she let out a sigh of relief.

"You're world is horribly strange." She muttered.

"What was your first clue?" He snorted.

"When I first appeared...here," She said, pausing to yawn. He scooped her up bridal style and laid her down onto the bed.

"Get some sleep; you'll have a long day ahead of you tomorrow." He whispered and pulled a warm blanket over her. She smiled and drifted off to sleep peacefully. Farid smiled and slid under the covers beside her. As he put his arm around her protectively, she turned and cuddled up against him. He couldn't help but blush as he began to fall asleep as well.

_Thank the gods who brought this angel to me. _He thought happily, soon drifting off a few moments later.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"So you honestly think this will work?" Dustfinger asked as he, Elinor, Mo, and Fenoglio approached Capricorn's fortress.

"Yes, it will most certainly work." Fenoglio insisted. "I wouldn't have come with you unless I was certain."

"Well before we put Capricorn and his men to an end, I need to help an old friend escape." Dustfinger said.

"Old friend? Ha! I'm surprised anyone would call you a friend!" Elinor muttered.

"Her name is Resa and she is in desperate need of an escape. After that, you can kill as many of Capricorn's men as you want." Dustfinger added as he ignored Elinor's comment. Mo looked at Dustfinger incredulously and he felt his heart speed up slightly.

"Did you say Resa?" Mo whispered.

"Yes, but she can't speak. Quite unfortunate, really, but she's still a very bright girl." Dustfinger replied.

"So she is alive…" Mo muttered.

"You know her?" Fenoglio asked.

"She is his wife, and my niece." Elinor spoke up.

"Wonderful, now you only have your daughter trapped in a book." Dustfinger chuckled.

"Ssh! Someone is coming!" Fenoglio whispered, but it was too late. A flashlight shone on them and they were surrounded by Capricorn's men.

"Well it looks like we've been saved a few days search." Basta snickered as he approached the group.

"Just take us to Capricorn. I've found a passage that he'd love me to read." Mo said.

"Let me see it then." Basta instructed.

"No, it must be a surprise for all of you. Now take us to him." Dustfinger interrupted. Basta growled, but he led them into the fortress. As Mo looked around, he saw a familiar woman standing at the foot of Capricorn's throne. She was none other than Resa, Mo's beautiful wife.

"Resa!" Mo cried happily. Resa saw him and smiled brightly just like she did ten years ago.

"So you know this traitor?" Capricorn observed as his men pushed Resa beside Mo. "That make sit so much easier for me to get rid of you all."

"But I thought you'd like to hear a passage I've created for you. It involves gold, jewels, and ultimate power, but I understand if you-" Mo sighed.

"Just read it to me!" Capricorn hollered.

"As you wish, your highness." Mo said and began to read.

"_Capricorn was a ruthless man who ruled as a dictator. His men feared him and woman shied away from his every glare. So on a surprisingly sunny day, he died a very unfortunate death. It was too quick for anyone to see and only a puff of black smoke was visible. As his followers rejoiced in their freedom, a stunning event occurred. One by one, his followers succumbed to the same fate as him. In a matter of minutes, his village became nothing but an empty waste land, soon turning to dust over time."_

"NO!" bellowed Capricorn as Mo read. "Stop him!"

But no one did, because they were overtaken by fear. Capricorn was turning into a puff of black smoke very slowly, his screams of outrage ringing throughout the church. His men scrambled around in terror, women picking up their skirts and fleeing for their lives. Mo held Resa close in fright that she would vanish, but the church fell silent and all seemed at peace. A bird chirped outside, much to Gwin's pleasure. He hopped off of Dustfinger's shoulder and scurried to a nearby window.

"He's gone...he's really gone!" Dustfinger cheered. "Now we can save Meggie from the book!"

Resa looked at Mo with worry and he turned to Dustfinger, who was rejoicing.

"Go find the book I read Meggie into and bring it back to me." Mo instructed. Dustfinger, who was too happy to disagree, stalked off in search of the book.

"I will explain all of this to you later." Mo whispered in Resa's ear. "But I _can_ tell you that I accidentally read our daughter into a book."

Resa nearly fainted, but Fenoglio and Mo kept her from colliding with the floor.

"Well she took that rather well. I was expecting her to attack you in some way." Elinor laughed.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Meggie woke up to the sun shining through the window and lighting up the room. She felt Farid's arms around her protectively and decided not to wake him up. Instead, she let her mind wander as a bird chirped outside.

_I wonder how Mo and Elinor are doing. I hope Dustfinger hasn't been much of a bother, although he can be a bit sweet sometimes. I bet Elinor is still holding a grudge over him. _She thought to herself.

Farid shifted beside her and now he was positioned with his arm all the way around her waist. She couldn't help but blush at the position. She placed her hands on Farid's shoulders and perched her head up.

"Farid, wake up." She whispered.

Farid opened his eyes and released her as he stretched out. He turned to her as he rubbed his eyes.

"So how was your night princess?" He yawned.

"It was better than all of the other nights." She replied.

"Are you hungry?" He asked.

"Sort of, why?" She said.

Farid clapped his hands and a man walked in with a tray filled with pastries, fruit, and a glass of milk for them both. He set it on a table on the bed and stood beside them.

"Anything else, your majesties?" The man asked.

"That is all." Farid replied and the man left the room.

"Wow, was life always like this for you? Before you left, I mean." She inquired and picked up a pastry.

"Somewhat, but my dad is probably doing this to convince you to stay here for a while longer." He said.

"I didn't know he liked me so much." She laughed as she took a sip of the milk.

"He just wants you to marry one of his sons, whether it's me or Gregory." He added, which caused Meggie to nearly spit out her milk.

"He wants me to marry?!" She cried.

"Most girls your age marry off, and it doesn't help much that you're pretending to be a princess. My mom was a princess and she married my dad when she was thirteen." He added.

"B-But I'll barely be turning thirteen in a month!" She whined.

"Barely? I already thought you were thirteen," He muttered. "Besides, your dad will read you out of here before you even come close to getting married."

"My mother has been trapped inside a book for ten years, even though my dad has tried to read her out many times. What makes my situation any different?" She sighed.

"Maybe this time will be different." He whispered.

After that, the two ate in complete silence.


	6. Chapter 6

After they finished eating, Meggie decided to explore the room. When she came to the closet, she figured it was best to get some new clothes.

"Be sure not to get lost." Farid warned as she approached the closet, which caused her to laugh. "I'm not kidding."

She opened the door slowly and peeked in. Farid appeared behind her and pulled it open completely as he gestured for her to go inside. She gasped at the magnificent gowns and outfits hung delicately on brightly painted shelves.

"I think I'll wear this." He said and held up an outfit similar to the one he was wearing.

"I'll wear this then." She held up a sleeveless gown that was a dark shade of blue. They turned their backs to each other and changed quickly. When Farid saw Meggie, he felt his cheeks grow hot as he noticed how the gown made her chest look.

"Does it look okay?" She asked.

"It looks good on you." He replied with a smile.

"Thanks," She sighed. "So where to next?"

"How about we go see the garden?" He suggested.

"Well that sounds sweet. I'd love to see it," She said as they linked arms.

"It's not as small as you think. It takes the gardener an entire day to water less than half of it," He smirked.

"If my feet feel like falling off, you'll have to carry me." She teased.

"If you're feet _do_ feel like falling off, I'll just feed you to the giant fly trap and spare myself the trouble." He snickered.

"You wouldn't throw me into a man-eating plant. You'd be too lonely in this big palace with Gregory as your only company," She pointed out.

"Touché." He chuckled and led her through large double doors.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Unbeknown to the two, Gregory had been watching them from a safe distance. He envied his brother for finding a princess that seemed to be perfect for him. She was beautiful beyond comparison in Gregory's eyes, and in Farid's as well. Gregory felt anger boil through him at the mere thought of Farid getting to call this girl his wife.

_If father sees how much time the two spend together, he might marry them off. And if he does…I'll lose my throne, _Gregory thought bitterly.

In his mind, Gregory came up with a plan. Whenever Farid was drawn away from the girl, he would take her and spend some time with her. In a week, he would declare that he wanted to marry her at dinner. From the pressure of his father and the law that all outsiders must be sent away, this girl would have to accept. Sure, Farid would be heartbroken, but he wouldn't be fast enough to react to the situation.

_You always were reluctant to show your feelings brother, _Gregory thought with satisfaction. _And that will cost you the girl of your dreams._

Gregory slowly made his way into the garden and stepped behind a bush when he saw his brother and Meggie standing in the front of the garden.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Meggie stared in awe at the large garden surrounding her and Farid.

"This is amazing!" She cried happily.

"It's like an oasis right at home." He said and plucked and exotic blue flower from a bush beside them. He placed it in her hair delicately and she wrapped both of her arms around his right arm.

"I bet you even have a maze in here," She muttered.

"Actually we do. Would you like to see it?" He suggested.

"Lead the way." She giggled and he pulled her deep into the garden.

They laughed as they raced down a path, brushing the vegetation as they went. Meggie felt a surge of happiness swell up inside her as Farid held her hand as they passed a large pond. She stopped and waved to the fish that swam inside of it. Farid came back to the pool with a smile on his face and he continued to lead her through the garden. The sun shone through the many trees that covered the large garden and it lit the path perfectly. When they approached the maze, the two stopped and caught their breath.

"This is the most fun I've had in a long time." She laughed.

"Same here." He chuckled.

"So this is the maze." She stated and eyed the enormous entrance.

"Well are we going inside or what?" He smirked and held out his hand.

"Of course." She smiled and took his hand, the two making their way into the maze.

"There are lots of birds and animals, so don't get too sidetracked." He said.

This maze was unlike any Meggie had ever seen in books. It was more open and had beautiful bouquets of flowers perched on the green, leafy walls. A parrot flew above them and Meggie stared at its brightly colored feathers.

"This is better than I expected." She murmured.

"There's still one more thing you need to see here." He said and stopped at a dead end.

He pulled back the leaves to reveal a small hill overlooking the large pond they had passed. The sun shone over the pond heavenly and gave it a magical touch. He helped her through the hole and followed soon after. He sat down on the grass and she took a seat next to him. As he put his arm around her shoulder, she cuddled up next to him.

"It's so beautiful here." She whispered.

"Romantic, don't you think?" He added.

"Actually, I do." She murmured.

They looked at each other in the same moment and their eyes locked. An instinct came over Farid and he lifted the veil off of her, tossing it to the ground soon after. The world around them seemed to vanish in those first few moments.

He bent his head down and pressed his lips against hers softly. When she didn't pull away, he wrapped his arms around her waist and deepened the kiss. She adjusted herself and sat on her knees as she put her arms around his neck. The kiss was sweet and full of energy, causing the both of them to block out the rest of the world. Meggie forgot about her family back home, the worries in her head, and anything else in her mind if it didn't involve the boy in front of her. Farid cleared his mind of all doubts about Gregory, the thieves, and anything not having to do with Meggie. When they finally broke apart, she snuggled up against him.

"Farid." She said.

"Hm?" He murmured.

"If I do have to get married…I want to get married to you." She admitted. He grinned and securely put his arm around her waist.

"In that case, we have nothing to worry about." He chuckled. She nodded and the two sat together, enjoying the wonderful scenery before them.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Little did they know that Gregory had watched them from his hiding spot, which was behind a tree. He felt envy surge through him when he saw the two kiss and he kicked the tree out of anger. When he heard Meggie say that she would rather marry Farid if she had to.

"What does she see in him? He's not even fit to rule the kingdom!" Gregory muttered to himself.

He slipped away from the scene and made his way out of the garden. He knew he would have to step up to win Meggie over, even if it meant taking Farid out of the picture. Permanently.

* * *

**For those of you who were just dying to have a romantic moment between the two, here it is. I hope it's good enough. **


	7. Chapter 7

Farid held Meggie's hand as they walked back into the palace.

"So what would you like to do now?" He asked.

"I want to go back to our room and relax for a little bit." She replied.

"That's fine with me," He said.

"Farid, father wants to talk to you immediately." Gregory said as he appeared from a room.

"What is it about?" Farid asked.

"I don't know, but he sounds urgent." Gregory sighed. "I'd be more than glad to take Meggie back to the room if you'd like."

Farid looked suspiciously at Gregory, but he agreed despite the warnings in his head.

"I hope everything's okay." Meggie murmured as Gregory led her to the room.

"It should be, but I believe Farid wouldn't want to take any chances." Gregory replied.

"Well at least we could get to know each other a little bit better; I haven't had much of a chance to talk to you." She pointed out.

"True, very true." He chuckled.

"So are you and Farid biological brothers?" She asked.

"Yes, we grew up here together when we younger. Our mother died when we were both young, so we didn't know here that well. Our father hired a private tutor to teach us the proper way to rule the kingdom. While I studied everything there was to learn, Farid was off playing with the local merchant children. Father would discipline him severely whenever he did and I sometimes couldn't bear to watch. Farid suddenly left one night without even saying so much as a goodbye. When he did, our father made sure to have the officials watch him from a safe distance. I stopped my studies and helped our father get through the catastrophe. The years passed and Farid had ended up serving a group of thieves. I was the only one that knew, though, and I didn't have the heart to tell father. Then he arrived with you and our father couldn't be happier." He explained.

"Wow, that's a lot of history." She laughed.

"It is, but I feel better if you knew the story for yourself." He sighed.

"Well thank you for telling me, Gregory." She thanked as he opened the door to her room.

"My pleasure, Princess Meggie." He murmured. "Now wait here until Farid can return."

He closed the door behind her and she plopped herself onto the bed. A few minutes later, Farid walked in with a scowl on his face.

"So what did your dad want?" She asked curiously.

"He didn't want anything." He muttered. "Gregory just wanted to have some alone time with you."

"Well he seems sweet, but not as sweet as you." She added the last part to make him smile, which he did. He sat down beside her on the bed and put his arm around her waist, pulling her close.

"Just make sure he doesn't try to lead you into a dark room or anything like that." He chuckled.

"Do you think he would try and marry me?" She asked.

"More than likely, but I won't let that happen." He reassured.

A small bell rang above them and Farid stood up, holding out his hand for Meggie to take.

"It's dinner time." He said.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Meggie was dumbfound at the beautiful dining room that Farid led her to. There was a long table in the center that stretched out for a good fifteen feet. There were four seats around the table; three on one side and another on the other side. Farid sat her in the seat that was part of the three. He sat beside her and Gregory walked in, also taking a seat beside Meggie. Farid glared at his brother as their father sat on the seat across from them.

"So I hear Farid took you to see the garden, Meggie." The king spoke up as a servant placed handed plates of food to each of them.

"Yes, and it was amazing." Meggie sighed happily. "After that, Gregory helped me to my room."

"It seems you've grown quit comfortable here," The king pointed out. "So I wish to offer you a permanent stay here."

"That would be an honor, your highness." Meggie said respectfully.

"But there is a law that states an outsider cannot stay unless married to a man of this town." The king added.

"Good thing you have us, father." Gregory smirked. Meggie could sense Farid stiffen beside her.

"It _is _a very good thing. Now one of my sons can finally be married off, and we can have a bigger family." The king agreed.

"I volunteer myself as her husband." Both Farid and Gregory said in unison. They looked at each other angrily and stood up, leaving poor Meggie to sit between them with a worried expression.

"Both of you would like to marry her?" The king asked, surprised.

"It appears so, father." Farid growled and balled his hands into fists.

"I'm the better husband in this family; I can rule the kingdom sufficiently and make Meggie as happy as she can be."

"And you think Farid cannot?" The king questioned.

"He has no education whatsoever and cannot provide for her to the fullest, unlike myself." Gregory sneered.

"I can give her anything you can provide and then some." Farid snapped. "I can give her the kind of love she needs!"

"As if you know what love is!" Gregory hissed.

"Well it appears that you have two suitors, Princess Meggie." The king sighed. "This means we must have a tournament."

"A tournament?" The three gasped from across the table.

"Yes, and the winner shall be honored of calling Meggie their wife." The king added.

"This will be easier than I thought." Gregory said triumphantly. Meggie looked at Farid with a frightened glance and he could only squeeze her hand tightly.

"Now get some rest, all of you. Tomorrow the events shall begin." The king dismissed them and Farid quickly led Meggie back to their room. Once they were inside, he locked the door and turned to her.

"This can't be happening. This just can't be happening." Meggie groaned as she buried her face in her hands. Farid wrapped his arms around her as he sat down beside her on the bed.

"I won't let him win the tournament, I swear." He reassured.

"But what if he finds a way to cheat?" She asked. "I can't marry him, Farid, I just can't!"

"Don't worry; I'll figure this out." He sighed.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Resa sat impatiently beside Dustfinger and Elinor as Mo paced back and forth in front of them. The book _Tales From a Hundred and One Arabian Nights_ sat on a bed in front of them; they were back at Elinor's house and Mo hadn't tried to read Meggie out yet.

"Will you pick up the damned book already? Your daughter could be close to death right now in that thing. Besides, I won't be able to get any sleep knowing she's in there." Dustfinger snapped.

"So you've grown feelings for the girl?" Elinor sneered. "I didn't know you had a heart."

Resa could only roll her eyes as the two began to bicker yet again. Mo slammed his foot on the ground and the two went silent.

"Stop it, both of you! Fighting isn't helping!" Mo shouted.

"Then please just try and read Meggie out of the book." Elinor groaned.

"I don't want to read anyone else in and what if…what if I can't read Meggie out?" Mo sighed.

"Well at least try; there's always a chance that you could read Dustfinger in." Elinor snickered.

"That isn't such a bad idea." Mo muttered.

"Why are you taking here side?" Dustfinger snarled.

"It's about time he finally had some common sense." Elinor boasted.

"Dustfinger could look for Meggie and when he finds her he can keep her safe until I can read them out." Mo explained.

"That's so crazy it might just work," Dustfinger grumbled.

"So will you do it?" Mo asked.

"Why not?" Dustfinger sighed. "I'm bored to death here anyways."

"Then I'll try to write something later on tonight." Mo concluded.


	8. Chapter 8

Meggie smiled as Farid gently ran his fingers through her long, silky blonde hair. She pulled the blanket over the both of them and he kept her close to his side for warmth.

"What kind of events are at a tournament?" Meggie asked.

"I don't know; I've never been to one before." Farid admitted.

"Hopefully it'll be up to me in the end, that way I can choose you." She sighed.

"I'm sure everything will work out perfectly," He reassured, kissing the top of her head softly.

"I wonder what Mo will think when I tell him all about this fiasco when we get back." She laughed.

"We?" He questioned.

"I plan to bring you along with me." She replied. "I can't just leave you here."

"That's very considerate of you, Princess Meggie." He smirked.

"Thank you, Prince Farid." She retorted.

"You seem content with the fact that you're stuck her for a little while." He pointed out.

"As long as I have you as company, I'll be perfectly fine. And if Mo can't read me out for another ten years, maybe we could start our own family." She said.

"That sounds pretty good right now," He sighed happily.

"Do you have sleeping wear I could put on? I'm getting a little tired," She yawned.

"I'll go see if we have something for you," He murmured and carefully got up, heading straight to the closet. He was in there for five minutes until he finally came out, looking a little flushed. He held a small blue nightgown in his hands, which would only reach her knees at the most. She took it from him and examined it as she stood up.

"Well I guess this will have to do. Besides, I know you like it." She scoffed, looking directly at Farid.

"I do not!" He gasped. "...Okay, maybe just a little bit, but that was the only thing in there!"

"Turn around, please." She commanded. He turned around and waited until she tapped him on the shoulder. He nearly chocked on his own breath as she plopped onto the bed, exposing her legs that had surprisingly tanned slightly from her stay in the kingdom. He nearly fell forward as he studied her carefully.

"Wow…" He whispered.

"I take it that you like this outfit," She laughed and he sat beside her. She laid down on the bed and he could only stare. She laughed at his expression and used her finger to close his mouth.

"Let's go to bed. You have to be ready to win the tournament, remember?" She reminded him.

"Um…okay," He muttered as she crawled under the bed sheets. He crawled in beside her and he felt her leg rub against his. A shiver traveled up his spine and he closed the gap between them, her head resting on his outstretched arm. She laid on her side as he moved his arm down and around her waist.

"This surprisingly feels comfortable. Like…like its right," She murmured.

"Like love?" He suggested.

"Exactly like love," She agreed and their lips met. She wrapped her arms around his neck and they pressed against each other, moving together in a single harmony. Meggie gasped as her nightgown shifted upward, but Farid kept her distracted.

_What would Mo think if he saw me kissing a boy? _She thought worriedly, but Farid's soft kisses on her lips immediately sent that thought to the back of her mind. He gently ran his fingers through her hair as she broke away for a breath.

"I love you," He said softly.

"I love you, too." She replied with a smile.

As the two lay in each other's arms, they felt as if they'd finally found their soul mates.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

In the dungeon of the kingdom, Gregory was sneaking about with a candle in his hands. He approached a cell that happened to contain Dariad, who was lying bitterly on a small cot. He growled at Gregory as the prince entered the cell.

"What do you want?" Dariad sneered.

"I'm here to offer you a deal." Gregory replied. "One that could set you free and allow you to get revenge on Farid."

"I'm listening." Dariad grinned.

"Tomorrow Farid and I are competing for Princess Meggie's hand in marriage and I need your help to win." Gregory explained.

"What's my job?" Dariad questioned.

"You have to cause Farid to lose every single event. Once he's lost, you can dispose of him."

"Won't that just cause _me _to be put to death?" Dariad pointed out.

"Not if I help you make it look like Farid killed himself in self-pity," Gregory snickered.

"I like the way you think." Dariad cackled.

**This chapter is short, but I included some FaridxMeggie fluff that I'm 95 percent sure you'll enjoy. And I added some evil thinking for those of you who enjoy action. Which reminds me, there will be plenty of action in the next chapter. Dustfinger might just arrive right as Meggie's husband is about to be found out. But you didn't hear that from me. :]  
**


	9. Chapter 9

Meggie woke up the next morning in Farid's arms as he snored softly. She stirred and his eyes opened, a smile growing on his face when he realized Meggie was lying beside him.

"Good morning, princess." He murmured and kissed her softly.

"I hope you're ready for today." She whispered and placed her hands on his chest.

"Of course I'm ready; my only worry is that Gregory is going to try and cheat." He sighed and pushed a strand of her hair behind her ear.

"Pray to God he doesn't. I couldn't stand being married to him." She spat.

There was a knock at the door and Shivesh poked his head in. Farid pulled the blanket over Meggie's body and sat up.

"Princess Meggie, you must report to the stands immediately. Prince Farid, you are to suit up for the tournament." Shivesh spoke up. A maid walked in and helped Meggie out of bed as another maid pulled Farid towards the door.

"I'll see you after the tournament!" Farid called as he disappeared into the corridor.

Meggie sighed and the maids began to dress her up into a flowing red gown that squeezed her upper body tightly, causing her to breathe a little bit more than usually. Shivesh came in once the maids left and he closed the door behind him.

"As much as I dislike your beloved Farid, I wish him luck. I can see he makes you happy," Shivesh sighed.

"Thanks, I think." She laughed.

"If you try, you could catch him right before they send him out." Shivesh added.

Meggie took his word for it and ran into the hall, where she saw Farid preparing for the tournament.

"Farid, wait!" She cried and ran down to the hall, where he caught her in his arms. She smiled and wrapped her arms around his torso.

"I have to go through with this or else I won't be able to marry you." He murmured and took her hands in his. He placed a soft kiss on her lips and she threw her arms around his neck.

"Promise me you'll be okay." She whispered into his ear.

"I promise, and we'll be able to live together in happiness." He reassured her. A servant ushered him out to the courtyard, where Meggie was pulled to a large stand where the king sat. He smiled as she took her seat beside him, where the games could clearly be seen.

"So how many challenges are in the tournament?" She asked after a few moments of silence.

"Three: archery, sword fighting, and then the final event is where you decide the winner." The king replied.

"I get to choose my husband?" She asked excitedly.

"Yes, but if one of them wins both challenges, that is who will be your husband." The king replied. Meggie let out a stressful sigh and she sat back in her chair, preparing for the tournament to begin.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Dustfinger stood impatiently in the front yard as Mo prepared to read him in, Gwin perched on his shoulders. Once Mo was ready, Dustfinger stood up and Gwin buried himself in his coat. Mo pulled out a piece of paper and began to read. As he did, Dustfinger saw that the room had began to vanish and Gwin growled as he poked his head out. Dustfinger shoved him back into his coat and brushed sand away when it came in contact with his face.

"Damn sand!" The fire-dancer growled. When he placed his hand over his face in defense, a bow and arrow fell onto the ground.

"What the-" Before he could say another word, he vanished, leaving Mo standing in a pile of sand. Before he did anything else, Mo raced into the house and up the stairs, where Elinor and Resa sat while they waited for Mo to finish reading.

"Well it's about time you finished. I thought you were never going to finish," Elinor scoffed. "My God, Mortimer, what is that on your clothes?"

"It's sand, Elinor, its sand." He sighed and set the paper on a table nearby.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

After the two tournaments, it was a tie. Gregory had won the archery challenge, but Farid had completely mastered the sword fight. As the tournament stopped for a break, Meggie went to go catch up with Farid. To her surprise, he was already waiting for her in front of the steps.

"Farid!" She cried happily and picked up her dress, running into his arms. He laughed and held her against his chest tightly as if the wind could blow her away.

"I told you everything would be fine," He murmured.

"I know, and I'm glad I was wrong." She sighed. He bent down and kissed her softly as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Since we'll be getting married, would you like to get a new necklace?" He asked and took her necklace in one of his hands, the other around her waist.

"No, I like this one. It was the first one you got me," She replied.

"As you wish." He smiled and she snuggled up against him.

Gregory watched bitterly from a few feet away as Dariad ate an apple beside him.

"What's wrong with you?" Dariad asked.

"Aside from the fact that Farid's winning over my girl, nothing much." Gregory said sarcastically.

"Just try to convince your dad that he should choose for her. That way, he'll choose you," Dariad suggested.

"Farid's always been his favorite; I wouldn't stand a chance." Gregory explained.

"Well I could help you kidnap her tonight if she really does choose him. We could meet with my bandits and then I'd help you escape with her." Dariad snickered.

"That's not a bad idea." Gregory muttered. "If she does choose Farid, then we'll snatch her when no one's looking."

Suddenly, a large gust of wind blew and nearly knocked everyone off of their feet. Farid kept Meggie close and they bent down as a chair flew by. After the sudden burst of wind died down, there was someone lying in the middle of the field, cursing as he stood up.

"Stupid Silvertongue; can't even read someone into a story without causing a scene." The man muttered. Meggie realized it was Dustfinger after Gwin popped out of his coat.

"Dustfinger?!" Meggie gasped and ran to the man. He stood up and ruffled her hair.

"Wow, this was easier than I thought." Dustfinger chuckled.

"How did you get here?" Meggie asked.

"Your dad read me in to keep you safe until he could read us out." The fire-dancer replied.

"Who is this?" Farid asked as he joined the two. Meggie stepped back and Farid put his arm around her waist, pulling her close. Dustfinger examined the two carefully and a grin broke out on his face.

"You found yourself a husband?" Dustfinger questioned.

"Well we're not exactly married yet, but this tournament is supposed to decide whether he can marry me or not." Meggie explained.

"Won't your father be please when he finds out his daughter's been hitched." Dustfinger snorted.

"Is he a friend of yours?" Farid asked.

"He turned me in to an evil man, but I guess he made up for it somehow." Meggie replied.

"I helped your dad rescue your mother." Dustfinger spoke up. "I did more than just 'make up' for what I did. I even helped them defeat Capricorn."

"My mother's alive?" Meggie gasped.

"Yes, she's back home with Elinor and Silvertongue." Dustfinger replied.

"Wow, a lots happened since I've been gone." Meggie muttered. Farid kissed the top of her head softly and rubbed her arms comfortingly.

"You'll go back soon, so no need to have a fit over it." He whispered. She nodded and rested her head on his shoulder.

"You two really do make a cute couple," Dustfinger smirked, causing the two to blush.

"Princess Meggie, have you decide who your husband shall be?" The king called from the stand.

"Yes," She replied and Farid took her hands in his. "And I choose Farid."

"The wedding shall be in two days!" The king announced. "All hail to the prince and princess!"

The crowd erupted in cheers and claps while Farid and Meggie smiled at each other lovingly. Dustfinger crossed his arms and rolled his eyes, but he couldn't help but grin. Meggie had certainly been busy while she'd been read in.

**So what do you think? Dustfinger might be a little bit OOC but I think I got him down pretty well. By the way, there's a poll up in my profile and I think you guys should go take it if you want a sequel. Well that's it for now, so adios! Review!**


	10. Chapter 10

Meggie and Farid walked back to their room holding hands while Dustfinger followed close behind. Gwin was tucked into Dustfinger's coat pocket after he nearly bit Farid's hand off.

"I can't wait to show you where I live." Meggie spoke up. "You'll love it there! We can go swimming, climb trees, and even stay up late and catch fireflies!"

"So your world is basically a giant garden?" Farid asked.

"Pretty much, but there's a place like this in my world. I don't live near it, though." She replied.

"Interesting." He muttered. "So what do you want your wedding dress to look like?"

She blushed vigorously, but managed to reply, "I don't really know. I guess I'm good with anything."

"You do realize that your parents will want another wedding, right?" Dustfinger cut in. "Silvertongue probably wants to do it the "right way" or whatever he deems okay."

"I guess you're right." Meggie sighed. After a moment, she let out a yawn. Farid draped his arm over her shoulder as they stepped in front of their room.

"The room next door is vacant if you'd like to sleep there." Farid said to Dustfinger.

"I will, thanks." The fire-dancer muttered as the two teens slipped into the room. He pulled Gwin out of his coat and placed him onto the floor.

"Watch them and make sure they don't go too far. Come get me if something goes wrong," Dustfinger whispered and Gwin slipped into the room. Glancing around to make sure no one had seen, he walked off to the room and entered, leaving the door open a crack.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Meggie and Farid cuddled up together under the covers and laid like that as the moon shone through the window.

"Am I really getting married, or is this just a dream?" She asked softly.

"If it is a dream, would you want to wake up?" He questioned.

"Not for once second." She murmured. "I wouldn't want to leave you."

"The same goes for you." He chuckled.

"And some girls do get married at my age, but they're not as lucky as I am." She said. "They don't get to marry the person they love."

"Well I guess we're as lucky as they get." He smiled.

"Farid, stop tickling my feet." She suddenly laughed and squirmed around.

"I'm not doing that," He gasped. She screamed and sat up, perched in Farid's lap for protection. A small furry head poked out of the blanket that just so happened to have a pair of horns.

"Gwin, what are you doing here?!" She hissed. He simply hopped off of the bed and onto the floor, where he laid himself down onto the soft rug.

"Isn't that the fire-dancer's pet?" He asked.

"Yes, and he must've sent him in here to snoop around." She scoffed.

"He doesn't trust us, especially if we have an entire room to ourselves." He pointed out.

"I'm going to go talk to him." She got out of bed and snapped her fingers. "Come on, Gwin, you're coming too."

The little marten merely followed her out of the room, closing it shut behind them. As Meggie rounded the corner, she could hear whispers coming from an open room down the hall.

"_That's the infamous thief Sahel. He's the best bandit there is."_

_"And why are we joining his crew again?"_

_"I told you, I can't marry Bushra until I turn him in. Now hurry up and start looking mean."_

Meggie peeked into the room, but saw no one there. Instead, there were piles and piles of books, all seeming very old and tattered. She stepped inside and looked around as Gwin hopped onto a nice, comfy pile. She picked up one and opened it up, reading the first few sentences.

"Sahel was a heartless thief who only cared about himself. He would kill anyone that he thought was in his way of riches or anything valuable. He had assembled a small group of bandits, but they were fierce nonetheless. They struck fear into the hearts of all townsfolk and caused kings to surrender whenever they were near. Surrendering did nothing, unfortunately, and the town became nothing but blood and dust when they'd enter. Sahel became very rich and he demanded nothing but the best women, clothing, jewelry, and weapons that he could buy."

While she was reading, the room began to spin and a flash of light blinded her, causing the book to slip out of her hands. When she picked it back up, a strange man was standing before her. A bloody sword was in his hand and he had a look of rage in his eyes.

"Where am I?" He hissed and advanced toward her. She gasped and stepped back, falling into a pile of books.

"In a palace library!" She cried. "Who are you?"

"I am Sahel, the infamous thief!" He declared.

She stared at him with a look of shock and he pointed a finger at her.

"You brought me here, didn't you?" He accused.

"I-I don't know!" She groaned.

"I do not tolerate ignorance!" He bellowed.

She screamed and he raised his sword, preparing to strike. Gwin bit the man's leg and he screamed, swiping at the marten. Meggie picked up Gwin as he ran to her and they sprinted out of the room, Sahel following. They passed a guard, who stared wide-eyed at the scene. He eventually chased after them, calling other guards to come to his aid.

Meggie ran back into her room and right into Farid, who'd gotten up to see what the commotion was. As Sahel entered the room, Farid pushed Meggie behind him defensively and pulled a dagger out of the sash around his waist. He held it up to Sahel and the man stepped back a few paces. The guards burst into the room and apprehended the bandit, placing his hands behind his back.

"She's a wicked genie, I tell you! She brought me here! She's evil!" Sahel shouted as the guards dragged him off. Shivesh walked into the room and managed to avoid Sahel's kicking feet.

"Princess Meggie, are you alright?" Shivesh asked.

"I'm fine, thanks for asking." She sighed.

"Who was that man?" Farid asked.

"We believe he snuck into the palace. We also think he's losing a few pints of common sense, if you get my drift." Shivesh muttered.

"I did hear whispers in the library when I walked in there." Meggie said. "I guess he was hiding in the shadows."

"We'll keep him in the dungeon until your wedding is over. Then we'll send him and a few other prisoners to the slave drives." Shivesh explained. "Have a nice night."

Shivesh walked out of the room and Farid closed the door, turning back to Meggie as he slipped his dagger back into his sash. He pulled Meggie into his arms and they sat down on the bed.

"What really happened?" He murmured.

"I think…I read him out of a book." She whispered. Gwin's head immediately shot up from the bed and he tilted his head to the side.

"You mean like your father did with Dustfinger?" He asked.

"Yes, and I didn't even know I could do this." She groaned. "Someone must've gone in, but who?"

"Dustfinger." He gasped. Upon hearing this, Gwin shot out of the bed and scratched at the door, hissing and growling. Meggie opened the door and followed Gwin to Dustfinger's room. She let out a sigh of relief when she saw him sleeping on the bed, snoring loudly. Gwin jumped onto his stomach and the man woke up, looking around in a daze. He noticed Gwin and shoved the animal onto the bed.

"What's going on?" Dustfinger asked.

"I just wanted to make sure you were still here." Meggie mumbled.

"Why wouldn't I be here?" Dustfinger scoffed.

"I…I read someone out of a book I found and I was worried that you went in." Meggie sighed.

"Amazing." The fire-dancer murmured.

"Come on, you need to go to bed." Farid spoke up and placed his hands on Meggie's shoulders. "We didn't even get to play footsie under the covers yet. Besides, we have a whole day of planning tomorrow."

"I'm right here. I can hear everything you're saying," Dustfinger interrupted. Farid grinned and shrugged, wrapping his arms around Meggie's waist.

"It doesn't bother me," Farid chuckled.

"Well I wish you two a wonderful night of rest, now get out and let me sleep." Dustfinger threw the covers over his body and turned away from the two. Farid pulled Meggie out of the room and into theirs, where he closed the door quickly and locked it.

"You do realize that when we go to my world, you won't be able to sleep in the same bed as me, right?" She laughed as he pushed her onto the bed.

"Which is why I need to get as much as I can for the next few days." He smiled and she blushed.

He nestled his face into the crook of her neck, causing her to gasp. He kissed her neck softly and moved his mouth up her jaw line, causing her to grip his shoulders tightly. Her fingers clutched his hair and she yanked on it as he pressed against her, causing an energetic sensation to go through her body. Their eyes locked and she pressed her mouth against his. His lips softly moved against hers and she felt as if she wanted her life to be like this forever. But she knew that she had to get home to her family and to see her newly found mother.

Farid could see that she was distracted and he broke away, rolling onto the bed beside her. He took a strand of her hair and twirled it in his hand as he pulled the covers over them.

"So what are you thinking about?" He asked.

"Home." She sighed.

"You'll be home soon, don't worry." He reassured.

"You mean we." She added.

"If you say so." He smirked.

"I really do want to be with you for as long as I live." She whispered.

"Like I said, don't worry. We'll be together forever," He murmured. She smiled and laid beside him as he hummed lightly. She slowly fell asleep to his soft, melodic voice and her dreams were nothing but sweet as she pictured what her wedding would be like.


	11. Chapter 11

**This will be more than likely the last chapter, so sorry to all you devoted fans. This basically skips right to the wedding since I wanted to finish this off and try to work on a few other stories along with the sequel. Yes, you're eyes are not deceiving you, and I indeed typed that there **_**will **_**be a sequel…eventually. Anyways, this will end with a cliff-hanger (if you consider it that) so don't rip me to shreds. If you do, I won't be able to type up the sequel. This is incredibly short and bad, but I'm having writer's block at the moment so be thankful I managed to put this up.**

It was the day of the wedding and the entire kingdom was bustling with excitement. There were brightly colored decorations all over the palace and Meggie stared in awe whenever she passed by. At the moment, she was admiring her dress in the mirror of her room. It was a long, silky blue dress that had gold trimming near the edges. She touched the crown on her head and closed her eyes, letting the feeling of shock sink in. She could hardly believe that she, out of all people, was about to be married to a prince. Luckily, he was the kind of boy who respected woman and always listened to her opinions. As if on cue, Farid snuck up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her close as he pressed his lips against hers.

"Save the kissing for when the ceremony's done." She laughed and placed her finger against his lips.

"You can't just leave me hanging like this. I am your husband, after all." He pointed out.

"Not for another hour." She whispered.

"Actually, that's why I came to get you. The wedding's going to be in fifteen minutes." He explained.

"What?" She cried. "We have to get going!"

"You don't even know where it's being held." He sighed as she pulled him out of the room.

"If you chose the location, then I'm guessing it's in the garden." She said with a smile.

"Okay, maybe you do know where it is." He muttered.

"By the way, where's Dustfinger? He's going to miss it!" She groaned.

"I think we went off to go feed Gwin. He'll be there, though." He reassured.

"Fine, I believe you." She said.

They reached the doors to the garden and the servants pulled them open, revealing a group of people as they cheered for the happy couple. Farid took Meggie's hand and pulled her down a long pathway guided by red carpets. They reached the alter, where a priest stood ready to read the vows. Meggie turned to Farid with joy-filled eyes. Farid held her hands in his as the crowd quieted down. Little did the duo know that lurking in the shadows, a force was about to interrupt the happy moment.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Gwin, get back here!" Dustfinger hissed as the marten ran through the empty halls of the palace. After stopping at the kitchen for a snack, Gwin had sensed something and sped off to investigate. He stopped in front of a large door that was opened a few inches. Voices came from inside the room and Dustfinger pressed his back against the wall, listening closely.

"Before the vows start, you get your thieves to run in there and snatch her. I'll meet you at your camp and bring her back here, then become king."

"How does this work for me?"

"I'll become the heir to the throne and I'll be able to grant you freedom if you get in any trouble."

"Let's do this then. Farid won't even know what hit him."

Footsteps approached the door and Dustfinger scooped Gwin up into his jacket. He slipped into a dark corner as two figures passed by, one of them being Farid's brother. Dustfinger made sure they were gone and followed them from a safe distance. If they were really going to try and pull something off like this, then Meggie would end up being hurt, which meant Dustfinger would be held responsible when they returned home.

_As if I haven't done her enough favors. _He thought bitterly.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Meggie tapped her foot impatiently as she waited for Dustfinger to show up, but he was nowhere to be found.

"I think we should start," Farid whispered.

"I want someone I know to be here, and he's the only one I really know besides you." She sighed.

"We'll have another wedding when we go to your world, okay?" He reassured.

"Fine, then I guess we could start." She said.

"Wait- I have something to say."

Every head in the room turned as Gregory marched into the area, Dariad close behind him with a smirk on his face.

"What do you want?" Farid spat, pushing Meggie behind him protectively.

"I personally think its wrong how you'll be getting the throne, even though you're completely uneducated." Gregory began. "And the girl to go with it."

"So he's decided to get my help. Ironic, isn't it?" Dariad snickered. "Sorry to do this, but I can't pass up the offer."

With a snap of Dariad's fingers, thieves popped up in the garden wielding swords and daggers. The people around them screamed and made their way for the door, which wasn't blocked. The only thing the thieves needed to get was Meggie, and Farid was the only thing standing in their way.

"Stay close, and scream when they're behind me." Farid whispered and pulled out his own sword. She nodded and clutched his shirt from the back. As the thieves attacked, Farid tried his best to fend them off. One by one, they collapsed onto the floor, dead. Unfortunately, there were too many of them and soon the couple was surrounded.

"Hand over the girl and we might spare your life." Gregory said.

"Never!" Farid growled.

Suddenly, a burst of flames erupted around them and sent a group of thieves screaming in pain as they ran toward the small lake nearby. Dustfinger appeared soon after, blowing the flames toward the approaching threats.

"Run, hurry!" Dustfinger shouted and the two were speeding toward the door. Dustfinger followed as fire protected them from the thieves trying to grab Meggie.

"Where do we go?" Meggie asked.

"This way, and don't stop running!" Farid cried as they sped down a hallway. Meggie could see a bright light at the end, which mean tit was a way out. Smoke was now engulfing the garden and people were rushing to put it out while guards stormed in to take down the thieves. When they reached the door, Meggie stopped to look back. She could see smoke engulfing the palace and as she turned around, she landed in the arms of Dariad. As she screamed, Gregory came up behind her and pinned her arms to the side. Farid and Dustfinger were busy fending off more thieves a few feet away.

"Let's go before they notice." Gregory called over the noise. A flame shot past them and Dustfinger pulled Meggie out of their grip. Farid held her close as Dustfinger set up a wall of fire.

Meggie shut her eyes out of fear, but a bright light made her open them. The world around her seemed to be vanishing in a jumble of colors. Dustfinger seemed to know what was going on because he pulled the two teens beside him, his hands resting on their shoulders.

"Hang on; this is going to be a bumpy ride home!" He hollered, but his voice was soon drowned out with the sound of a familiar voice speaking from somewhere she couldn't quit see. Then she realized that it was someone reading them out of the book. She clutched Farid's shirt and prayed for the three of them to end up home safely. If they were being read out of the book by Mo, that is. If they were being read out by someone else, then Meggie could end up in another world, completely lost forever.


	12. Author's Note

**I won't be able to create the sequel for this, unfortunately, so I need someone else who can take the responsibility of creating the sequel. I'll give the rights to whoever wants to, so review before someone else does!**


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